Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

Mentioning that night she got drunk, Leda touched her nose with a hint of embarrassment.

"It was all my mom's fault, insisting I attend this so-called youth mixer. It was basically a speed dating dinner in disguise."

The young men and women were like items on display, laid out for selection.

Nola was great in every way, except for being a bit of a worrywart.

Going on about how 'unequal matches never work out' and 'love can't survive on empty pockets,' blah blah blah...

Leda was over it.

After the last visit home, she laid down the law with Nola: she could consider matches of similar social standing, but the final choice was hers to make.

In return, Nola had to swear off arranging any more blind dates or mixers behind her back.

Roseanne: "Choose for yourself?"

"Yeah, as long as the guy's family isn't broke, my mom's cool with it. Easy, I'll just pick from our circle!"

"You're really going to pick?"

Roseanne blinked.

"younger charmers," but to find one among these men who would dote on her, pamper her, and treat her like

layer of pride. We're all from influential families; why should I, a grown man, lower myself to woo

my mom. But I'm not picking a

into marriage. Since none of us want to follow our families' plans, why not team up?" ""How does

in public, pretend we're together, and then do our own thing in

could keep their families off their backs without the constant nagging, while still enjoying their freedom on the side. A

"Don't worry, I know what

Roseanne seized the moment when Leda went to

pouted, "I said it was my

can't let you foot the bill every time.

"Right, my little heiress."

out to

hurts. Keep your hands to yourself

way through

a moment,

both halt and instinctively look in the direction of

private room, mostly middle-aged some with streaks of gray, neady all dressed in polo shirts with

young man at the center of attention

contrast to the surrounding